


clouds in his coffee

by grayscale



Category: Johnny's Entertainment, Johnny's Jr.
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-08
Updated: 2013-10-08
Packaged: 2017-12-28 20:19:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/996145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grayscale/pseuds/grayscale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reia always knows exactly what people want for their birthdays.</p>
            </blockquote>





	clouds in his coffee

**Author's Note:**

> For [bigbang_mint](http://bigbang_mint.livejournal.com) @ LJ, who wanted Jinchan being jealous. I know this isn't exactly what you asked for, but I hope you enjoy it, anyway! The title is a line from the song "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon, and while it's not really relevant in the original context, the line seemed fitting to the fic, and the song title seemed fitting to Jinchan. |D;

For Amu's birthday, Reia gets him a model gun set. In fact, he drags Jinguji to some strange little shop in the middle of nowhere (okay, so maybe it's actually just a model shop a few minutes' walk from Akihabara station, but who's counting? It felt like a horrible experience to Jinguji) and forces him to wait around while Reia asks the shop owner after some specific model, or something. "This is dumb," Jinguji complains, but Reia only shrugs. 

"He said this is the one he wanted," he replies matter-of-factly once they're done (after what feels like hours to Jinguji but Reia insists is only fifteen minutes), Reia with the box tucked under his arm as collects his drink at the counter at Starbucks, "You didn't have to come if you didn't want to." 

"You said you wanted company," Jinguji grumbles, which is a bit of a stretch, since Jinguji had basically thrust himself upon Reia when Reia mentioned he was going to go out to buy Amu a birthday gift earlier that day, but he's sure Reia had benefited from his presence, either way; he was always wanting Jinguji to take him out for coffee, right? "The least you could do is buy my drink." 

Reia only rolls his eyes and waits as Jinguji receives his grande mocha frappuccino (skim milk, extra whip; the manliest of drinks, Jinguji insists with a scowl every time despite Reia's giggles). "How gentlemanly," he replies and Jinguji splutters but, after a few minutes of pouting, decides to let it go. Because he's gracious like that. 

Jinguji gets Amu a necklace for his birthday. He likes Amu because Amu thinks he's cool, and so he takes care to choose one that he would wear himself-- certainly Amu aspires to look like Jinguji, because Jinguji has the best style in the world. When Amu opens the gift, he grins and thanks Jinguji, and Jinguji thinks he's clearly given the best gift out of all their friends. 

But then Amu opens Reia's gift, and much to Jinguji's ire, his face lights up into a smile as if it's Christmas morning, and before either Jinguji or clearly Reia can brace themselves, he's throwing his arms around Reia in an elated hug and practically knocking him off his feet. 

"Whatever," Jinguji mutters under his breath, crossing his arms and pursing his lips, not sure if he's more offended by the fact that Reia's gift is the clear winner (if only by a little!) or by the way Amu is squeezing Reia like he's never intending on letting go. 

…

For Genki's birthday, Reia gets him a new set of highlighters and a gift card to Tsutaya. He insists that they go looking for the gift before doing anything for themselves, despite the fact that Jinguji can see a little table off to the side in the crowded Shibuya crossing Starbucks as they go up the escalator to the books and stationary section. "We're not going to have anywhere to sit if we get coffee," he insists bitterly as Reia browses despite the fact that the table has probably already been snatched up by now, but Reia only shrugs. 

"We can always go someplace else for coffee," he replies without looking up from the English study book he's browsing. "It's not going to take that long to pick something out. You might as well look yourself, you know." 

"Books are lame," Jinguji grumbles, despite the fact that he sees Genki studying practically every day at rehearsal (seriously, who would want study materials for their birthday?), grabbing the latest issue of Potato from a nearby table and flipping through to admire his own photoshopped features. 

Reia completely ignores him, looking through a few more books before grabbing the highlighters and heading for the counter. "I got him a gift card, then he can get a DVD or something if he wants, instead," he explains when he gets back, and Jinguji pouts and shrugs and pretends not to notice the way Reia laughs at how the face he's making in real life is practically a mirror image of the face he's making in the magazine. 

They end up getting coveted counter seats overlooking the intersection at the Starbucks (it's just stupid luck, Jinguji disclaims when Reia raises his eyebrows at the relative ease with which they procure a place to sit), and then afterwards, Jinguji picks out a pair of sunglasses for Genki. "It's December," Reia comments with quirked brows, but Jinguji ignores him, because sunglasses are cool, right? 

By the end of the month, Jinguji has never seen Genki wear the sunglasses, but can't ignore the fact that Genki seems to be using the highlighters from Reia every time he turns around. "Studying is stupid," he grumbles irritatedly every time, despite the fact that he's definitely not bitter, just like he's not at all jealous when Genki invites Reia to his house to watch the DVD he bought with Reia's gift card. 

…

For Fu's birthday, Reia gets him a new padded breakdance hat. Jinguji has no idea how Reia knows about all these specialty athletic clothes boutiques, but for some reason, he always seems to be on a congenial basis with the store owners at these places when they go shopping together (or maybe it's just that Reia is a friendly person… not as friendly as Jinguji, mind you, but pretty friendly), and it annoys Jinguji ( _not_ because he's jealous or anything!), leaving him muttering about how it's stupid that everything Reia wears is athletic clothes, but Reia only shrugs.

"If you don't like it, then why do you always come out with me?" he asks with a laugh, clearly not as serious about Jinguji's opinion as he ought to be as they sit across from one another at a little table in a Starbucks outside Shinjuku Station. It's May, long past the end of the period for sakura lattes, but Jinugji is still grumbling about missing it into his vanilla bean frappuccino, putting him in an even less agreeable mood than earlier. 

"You still owe me a coffee from last November," he insists, choosing to ignore Reia's logic for now in favor of his bitterness, despite the fact that his drink has so much sugar it doesn't even taste like coffee anymore. "You'll go out of your way to get the perfect gift for everyone else, but you won't even buy me a drink?" 

"Why do I even hang out with you?" Reia asks instead of giving a real answer, and Jinguji scowls, slouching into his chair with his coffee and vowing to get a better gift for Fu than Reia could ever think of. 

Despite that it's tantamount to admitting that Reia is right, Jinguji ends up going back to the same boutique later that day once Reia has gone home and buying Fu a t-shirt. When Fu opens it, he's surprised, and, Jinguji thinks, he's finally outdone Reia… until Fu opens Reia's and suddenly, the corners of his mouth curl up in a knowing grin. 

"You went shopping with Reia, didn't you," he asks in that infuriating way he has, and "No!" Jinguji shoots back, features drawn together in an irritated pout. "God, why would you just assume that? Who needs him?" 

"Who, indeed?" Reia asks, turning on his heel and leaving Jinguji to splutter behind him as Fu smirks on. 

"NOT A WORD FROM YOU," Jinguji snaps at Fu, but despite the fact that normally, he feels he's the victim of his friends' teasing and tempers, he has a feeling that he brought this one on himself. 

…

For Kishi's birthday, Reia gets him CDs. He doesn't keep his plan a secret from anyone except Kishi, and asks Fu what Kishi's been listening to a good month before Kishi's birthday so that he can order online. Jinguji tells him it's a stupid and boring idea, but he doesn't exactly know what's better (it's not his fault that he's a busy person and can't spend too much thought on these things!), and so, three days before Kishi's birthday, somehow, Jinguji finds himself grudgingly asking Reia for his help, but Reia only shrugs. 

"I can go out with you if you want," he offers with a sly grin, and so, three hours later, Jinguji finds himself sitting beside Reia at the counter of the Starbucks in Sunshine City after having bought the few other CDs on Fu's recommended items list (and a few hours of personal shopping, as well; it's not like Jinguji _needs_ Reia's opinion before buying pants, but, well, Reia's never steered him wrong yet). "I think you owe me coffee this time," Reia had said, and despite complaining and grumbling, Jinguji really had no argument, and so here they are again, Reia playing some game on his phone while Jinguji sits and stews into his roast almond frappuccino. 

"Doesn't it bother you to watch me buy gifts for other people?" he suddenly finds himself asking, without thinking, as if the question is suddenly bursting out of him. When he hears himself, he flushes, because even he has to admit, it's kind of a dumb question. Still, he doesn't take it back, and Reia sets down his phone, blinking at Jinguji as if he's suddenly sprouted a second head. 

"What??" Jinguji snaps, embarrassment growing by the second, because even if, for some stupid, unfathomable reason, watching Reia buy gifts for people sets his teeth on edge, it doesn't mean he has to go asking it. He hates feeling like an idiot this way, and so he shrugs with a huff, looking back down at his drink with a spectacular scowl. "Fine, don't answer!" 

Kishi opens their packages one after another, all smiles, and thanks them both equally. Reia doesn't say anything to indicate that Jinguji's gifts weren't his own idea, but somehow, basking in the credit and Kishi's hugs doesn't feel as good as Jinguji had always imagined as he watches Reia turn and walk away. 

…

For Jinguji's birthday, Reia gets him a pendant that Jinguji has had his eye on for the past few months or so. He doesn't know what to say when he opens the package, because while he'd been planning to buy it at the end of the term as a reward to himself, somehow, receiving it from someone else is so much better, and receiving it from Reia is the best. But he doesn't know how to say that, and so, "How do you always know exactly what people want?" he grumbles, despite the smile on his lips, but Reia only shrugs. 

"Open the card," Reia bids in lieu of a real response, and Jinguji gives him a skeptical look before doing as told. There's never been a card attached to anyone else's gifts from Reia, and so he isn't quite sure what to make of it as he rips open the envelope and pulls out a single piece of stationary with something folded inside. 

"What the…" Jinguji mumbles to himself as he unfolds the note, but his breath catches in his throat, stifling any further commentary when he sees what's inside: a ¥2,000 Starbucks gift card. He fumbles with it for a second, not sure what to say or think, but then the message written beneath in pink ink catches his eye: _Everyone gets a birthday gift, but only you get to take me to coffee_ , and before he can even think to stop it, a big, stupid grin is spreading across his features. 

"Wow, I even get a smile?" Reia teases, but when Jinguji looks up, he's smiling too, really smiling, and with all of his usual complaints and insults and snide comments having fallen to the wayside, Jinguji doesn't know what to say. _You're beautiful_ comes to mind, but his throat squeezes tight at even the prospect of saying something so honest, not to mention _thank you_. 

"Happy birthday," Reia adds, leaning in to press a kiss that's brief but totally mind-blowing all the same to Jinguji's lips, and once he pulls away, as Jinguji is still spluttering and trying to reconnect his brain with his mouth, his smile quirks up into a little grin, adding, "Shall we celebrate?" 

And sure, Jinguji's got a party planned for the weekend, but somehow, "I guess I could take you to coffee," feels like the best thing that's happened to Jinguji all year.


End file.
